Inside the imperial study of the capital, Zhu Youjian stared at the report from Shanxi with a face that kept changing like a man riding a drop tower.
One moment up, the next moment straight down.
He had barely recovered from the last disaster when another one came crashing in right after it, as if the heavens had personally decided that his day was not going to be peaceful.
Just a short while ago, he had been eagerly waiting for Xing Honglang to return and crush Zhu Youzhong into dust, imagining a clean and satisfying victory that would restore some dignity to the throne.
Yet in the blink of an eye, that same Xing Honglang had turned around and pledged support to another rebel.
Zhu Youjian frowned so hard his eyebrows nearly tied themselves into a knot.
"What kind of creature is this Chen Qianhu," he muttered, pacing slowly. "Why does he call himself that. Where is his real name. Is he hiding it on purpose. Is Chen Qianhu just a title, like Chuang Wang or Zijing Liang. Another bandit king in disguise?"
Beside him, Minister of War Chen Xinjia felt his scalp tightening, but there was no escape from duty, so he forced himself to step forward and speak.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This time is actually better than before. At least it is not a prince rebelling. It is just some unknown petty criminal. There is no need to take it too seriously."
Zhu Youjian turned his head slowly, his face dark as storm clouds gathering over a battlefield.
"Not a prince," he said, voice low. "And yet he has the support of the Prince of Dai and the Prince of Shen. He also has Wu Shen backing him. Even Xing Honglang, who just came back from Liaodong, has declared for him. And you tell me he is nothing?"
His gaze sharpened.
"This man is anything but simple. Who exactly is he?"
Chen Xinjia swallowed and quickly replied, "The Jinyiwei have already gathered intelligence through multiple channels. We have a profile ready. Would Your Majesty like to see it?"
"Bring it here. Immediately."
The document was handed over with both hands.
Zhu Youjian unfolded it and began reading.
At first, everything seemed ordinary enough.
A frontier soldier from Guyuan. Back in the early Chongzhen years he was only a Baihu, a minor officer. He had once followed a Qianhu named Bei Shuilang in rebellion, marching all the way from Guyuan toward Xi'an in an attempt to demand unpaid wages.
When they reached Chengcheng County, they were defeated by Magistrate Liang Shixian and Inspector Fang Wushang. Bei Shuilang was executed on the spot, while the remaining forces surrendered under a man named Nan Feng.
Later, Nan Feng was appointed as a garrison commander in Puzhou, and Chen rose alongside him, becoming a Qianhu and settling there.
Zhu Youjian nodded slightly.
So far, nothing unusual.
Then he flipped to the final page.
And saw the portrait.
"Pffft!"
The sound burst out of him before he could stop it.
His fragile imperial heart took a direct hit, like the moment in the tale of Jing Ke when the map was fully unrolled and the dagger suddenly appeared, except this time the blade went straight into his chest and twisted.
He pointed at the paper with a trembling finger.
"Why does this man look so ferocious," he demanded. "Does he eat five people a day?"
Chen Xinjia coughed awkwardly.
"Five might not be enough, Your Majesty. Judging by his appearance, ten would be more reasonable."
Zhu Youjian felt a cold weight settle in his stomach.
"This is a demon king reborn. How is one supposed to fight something like this?"
Then his eyes shifted slightly downward.
There was a small line of text beneath the portrait.
He leaned closer and read it carefully.
"He is ugly, but he is gentle. His gaze is cold, his heart burns with passion."
Silence filled the room.
Chen Xinjia blinked. "Your Majesty, why have you suddenly gone quiet?"
Zhu Youjian slowly lowered the paper, his face expressionless.
"Find the Jinyiwei who wrote this," he said. "And give him ten strokes."
Chen Xinjia froze. "...Understood."
The unfortunate agent was beaten, but the problem remained.
Zhu Youjian pressed his temples, clearly irritated.
"Even Wu Shen has sided with this rebel. Which army do I even send now to deal with Chen Qianhu?"
Chen Xinjia took a breath before answering.
"At this point, we may have no choice but to redeploy the Xuan-Da frontier troops."
Zhu Youjian raised his head.
"The Xuan-Da troops? You mean Yang Guozhu from Xuanfu and Wang Pu from Datong?"
Chen Xinjia nodded.
"Chen Qianhu comes from the frontier army. Only frontier troops can handle him. The regular garrison soldiers stand no chance."
Zhu Youjian thought for a moment, then gave a firm nod.
"That makes sense. Issue the order immediately. Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu are to move to Shanxi and suppress the rebellion."
The words had barely left his mouth when something felt off.
He paused.
Why does it feel like I keep pulling troops out of Liaodong again and again.
How many soldiers did we even station there in the first place.
He turned sharply.
"How many troops do we actually have in Liaodong?"
Chen Xinjia answered honestly.
"A great many. Almost all elite forces from across the country were concentrated there. That was how we managed to take Dalinhe City. At that time, it was also the best chance to attack Shenyang. With the full strength of the nation, we could have crushed the Jianzhou threat in one decisive strike."
Zhu Youjian inhaled sharply.
In that instant, realization hit him like a sudden chill.
He had missed the opportunity.
The thought crawled under his skin, making his whole body feel uncomfortable.
He knew he had made a mistake.
But he refused to admit it.
People like him, raised in insecurity, sensitive and proud, often found it hardest to admit fault. Even when they knew they were wrong, they would argue, resist, and cling stubbornly to their stance. Push them too hard, and they might even lash out.
It was an old pattern.
And unfortunately, Zhu Youjian fit it perfectly.
Chen Xinjia hesitated before speaking again.
"Your Majesty, perhaps we should reconsider our strategy and focus on attacking..."
Before he could finish, Zhu Youjian cut him off sharply.
"There may have been many troops in Liaodong before, but we have already recalled quite a number. What remains is no longer enough to attack Shenyang. Issue the order. Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu are to return and suppress Chen Qianhu."
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
Chen Xinjia withdrew.
At the doorway, he crossed paths with Cao Huachun. The two men exchanged a glance, and in that brief moment, both clearly understood the same thing.
The emperor had made a mistake.
Neither of them said a word.
They simply walked past each other.
Back at the Six Ministries, the officials gathered around Chen Xinjia with curious expressions. One assistant minister leaned closer and asked in a low voice,
"My lord, what did His Majesty discuss with you?"
Chen Xinjia let out a long sigh.
"He has ordered Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu to return to Shanxi for suppression."
A quiet murmur spread.
No one openly commented, yet the atmosphere itself seemed to speak.
The court was beginning to lose its balance.
At the same time, far away in Xi'an, at the bustling marketplace.
Zhu Cunji and Hong Chengchou sat before a massive "immortal mirror," watching the latest Gao Family broadcast.
On the screen, Chen Qianhu appeared in full view, the camera focused directly on his face.
The audience still found him terrifying at first glance, but for some reason, the floating label above him that read "gentle" softened the impact, making him oddly less frightening.
The reporter smiled politely.
"Commander Chen, you have recently raised the banner of rebellion and declared your intention to participate in governing the country. May I ask what led you to this decision?"
Chen Qianhu looked straight into the camera, his expression steady.
"When the nation rises or falls, every man bears responsibility. If that is true, then I also bear responsibility. I simply wish to do my part in governing the country. If everyone shares this mindset, then we will have true collective governance."
He paused for a moment, then added quietly,
"And that is the only way forward."